Improvement in seeding-machines



G. W; VAN BRUNT Grain Drill.

Patented Ndv. ,12,- 1861.

A k J} m v N u v N.PE|'ERS, PHOTD-LITHOGRAPHER. WAsl-UNGTON, D O,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

G. W. VAN BRUNT, OF ROLLING PRAIRIE, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEEDING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,720, dated November 12, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, G. W. VAN BRUNT, of Rolling Prairie, in the county of 'Dodge and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Seed-Sower and Cultivator; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a transverse vertical section of my invention, taken in the line 00 m, Fig. 2. Fig.2 is alongitudinal central section of same, taken in the line 3 y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective View of one of the seeddistributing devices.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a rectangular frame, which is mountedon two wheels, B B, and has a box, 0, placed on it, extending its whole width.

Within the box 0 there is placed a shaft,D, on one end of which a pinion, E, is fitted, said pinion gearing into a wheel, F, which is attached concentrically to one of the wheels B.

On the shaft D there is secured a series of hubs, G, which may be described as being cylinders provided with radial flan ges a. the spaces 1) between which form seed-cells. Each hub G has a shell or hollow cylinder, H, fitted on it. These cylinders or shells are slotted longitudinally,as shown at c, to receive the flanges a of the hubs G, the portions of the shells between the slots 0 fitting snugly in the spaces 6 between the flanges a of the hubs, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The shells or hollow cylinders are each provided with a flange, d, at their outer ends,and these flanges are fitted in sockets I, attached to a slide, J, which forms the bottom of box 0. The slide J is moved or actuated by a lever, K, and by this movement of the slide the shells or cylinders H may be shoved a greater or less distance on the hubs G, and the capacity of the seed-cells varied as circumstances may require.

Directly over the box 0 there is placed a seed box or hopper, L, the bottom of which is provided with a register, M, formed of a stationary perforated plate, f, and an adjustable perforated plate, 6. The perforations g of these plates are directly over the hubs G on shaft D.

Within the upper hopper, L, there is placed longitudinally a shaft, N, on which a series of wheels, 0. provided with radial arms h, are placed. The wheels 0 are directly over the perforations gof the register M. In thelower part of the seed-box there are placed inclined planes h, arranged as shown in Fig. 2, the wheels 0 being over the centers of the valleys. The shaft N has a pinion, P,at one end of it, which gears into the pinion E of shaft D.

To the under side of slide J there is attach ed a series of pendent tubes,Q,which are of flaring or hell form, and are directly under the hubs G. In the lower part of each tube Q, there is fitted or placed a cone, B. These cones are smaller in diameter than the interior of the tubes Q, and a space is consequently left between the covers and the tubes for the discharge of the seed. The cones are slightly concave, corresponding in a reverse manner with the interior of the tubes Q,and the cones may be secured in the tubes Q by pins a From the above description the manner in which the seed is distributed will be readily seen. The wheels 0 discharge the seed from the hopper L through the perforations g of the register M, the seed falling into the seed-cells b, which rotate in contact with plates b* in the top of box U,the register M resting or bearing on said plates I)".

The quantity of seed to be sown on a given surface or area of ground may be varied by adjusting the slide J so that the shells or cylinders H may be adjusted a greater or less distance on G, and the seed-cells b varied in capacity as required. The seed drops from the cells b into the tubes Q, and falls on the cones R, and is discharged from the lower ends of the tubes Q in a scattered or broadcast state. The form or shape of the tubes Q, in connection with the cones R, effects such result. The discharge of seed from hopper L may be entirely cut oft by adjusting the plate 6 of the register so that the perforations y will not be in line with each other. v

S is a shaft, the ends of which are fitted in bearingsc at each end of the frame A, and on this shaft S there is placed looselya series of bars, T, the back ends of which have cultivator or harrow teeth U attached,of any suitable form. The bars T are allowed to swing freely on the shaft S, and on this shaft, and between the bars T, collarsVare placed loosely,

said collars keeping the bars T a proper distance apart. The back part of each bar T has a pin, projecting at right angles from its surface, and these pins pass loosely through a bar, W, and have heads on their upper ends. The bar W is connected by a chain f to a lever, X, on the back part of frame A. The pins are of sufficient length to admit of each bar T rising and falling to a certain extent independently of the others, and by actuating the lever X the whole number of bars T may be elevated simultaneously above the surface of the ground. The teeth U harrow in the seed and pulverize the soil behind the tubes Q.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The arrangement of the rotating hubs G and sliding shells or cylinders H, the latter being connected with the slide J, having the tubes Q attached, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

GEO. V. VAN BRUNT.

Witnesses:

S. B. ()RMSBEE, ALEX. MERRILL. 

